Play and save with RPG piggy banks

Written by: Rebecca Milner on August 7, 2008 at 4:56 pm | In Technology & Gadget Trends |

“Banking” on the success of last year’s sell-out Jinsei Ginkou (Life Bank), Takara Tomy, and now Bandai too, have released much talked about high tech piggy banks that use a Tamagotchi-esque liquid crystal display and a role playing game plot to reward savers.
As we mentioned with our coverage of the Jinsei Ginkou, these toy banks aren’t necessarily just for kids. Guys well into adulthood have pockets full of change that it wouldn’t hurt to save, and the Japanese currency is heavily (literally) coin based: giant ¥500 coins are worth nearly $5 and collecting a significant amount of those is hardly child’s play.

Takara Tomy’s new castle-shaped Bankquest allows players to purchase items for the game’s protagonist with each deposit, advancing the story through battles with over 180 monsters.

With its classic monster-slaying RPG plot, Bankquest targets the 20-30 something set who grew up playing these kind of games and are thus just as likely to buy it for themselves as for their kids.

Meanwhile Bandai targets the growing number of female fans of romance role playing game with the Ikemen Bank.

Popular love counselor Orie Shimuzu consulted on the story line, which features a budding romance with one of five attractive love interests (ikemen is slang for a good-looking guy): a cool model, a bright and promising TV talent, a sweet guy from a rich family, a younger sportsman, and an older guy to take care of and spoil you.

In this case, deposits must be ¥500 coins and players will have to save an impressive ¥50,000 to reach the end.

Add these incentives for saving to the new trend of game-like pedometers and you have a growing number of fun and functional digital lifestyle products on the market that blur the line between toys and gadgets.

Tags: Bandai, RPGs, Takara Tomy, Toys
Category: Technology & Gadget Trends
Other categories: Marketing & Ad Trends, Fashion & Lifestyle Trends